This application relates to protective enclosures for tools and equipment and, in particular, to portable enclosures. The invention relates in particular to jump-starting battery packs of the portable type and protective enclosures therefore.
It is known to provide battery packs for the purpose of jump-starting internal combustion engines. Such packs typically include one or more storage battery cells and suitable electronics housed in a case, from which project a pair of jumper cables, each with a standard connector clamp at its distal end for attachment to the terminals of an automotive battery. The battery pack is typically rechargeable. Since the connector clamps are "live," i.e., directly connected to the terminals of the storage battery, it is important that they be maintained electrically insulated and isolated from each other and from nearby electrical conductors, when not in use. It is also useful to have a convenient means for carrying the battery pack without jeopardizing the insulation and isolation of the connector clamps.
It is known to provide various types of carrying cases, holsters and the like for various types of tools and electronic equipment. Prior electronic equipment cases have typically been designed to simply provide a means for transporting the equipment and many such devices completely enclose the equipment. While this is useful for maximizing protection of the equipment, it also impairs access to parts of the equipment, such as the recharging jack of the battery pack case.
Housings have heretofore been provided for jump-starting batteries or battery packs with provision for separating or isolating the battery cable clamps from each other, but these prior techniques have involved rigid housings which are relatively bulky and do not provide complete insulation of the connector clamps.